Attachment for internal combustion engines



R. A. DUFF Sept. 1, 1931.

ATTACHMENT FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l m Wu.

Sept. 1, 1931.

R. A. DUFF ATTACHMENT FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 1 1931 RALPH A D UFF', OF NEBRASKA CITY, NEBRASKA ATTACHMENT roa INTERNAL ooMBusrI'oN ENGINES;

Application filed Ju1y 20, 1929. Serial No. 379,801.

This invention is an attachment for in ternal combustlon engines, and is adapted to admit water vapor to the charge passing into g the manifold of the engine. The objects of the invention are, first, t

provide means for atomizing 'or spraying water into the intake; second, to provide means for controlling the intake of air by which the water is atomized; third, to pro- 5 *vide means for controllingthe supply of water; fourth, to'provide means for operating the air controlling means in predeter-- mined time relation to the throttle valve;

H fifth, to provide means for operating the water controlling valve in predetermined relation to the air controlling valve; and sixth,

to generally improve the construction and I enhance the utility ofattachments of this character. 7

With the foreg and Other Oblects in view, which will appear'as the description proceeds, the invention resides m'the cominatlon and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter de-' scribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the in; vention herein disclosed can be made Within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention."

A practical structure forcarrying out the invention is illustrated-in the accompanying drawings, wherein: n v

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in elevation of an intake manifold with an attachment constructed in accordance with the invention inplace thereon; w i v Figure la isa fragmentary view in elevation of a portion of the control, broken-away from Figure 1 line 2-2, of Figure 1; V

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan View, part in section on the line of Figure 1 Figure 4 is a' cross" section through" the 5 valves at the slot 22; a

' The devlce compr ses a water reservo1r,i

which is in communication with an "air intake pipe. A'va1ve,' operat1ng in proper I timed relation to the throttle valvefis provided for c'ontrollingthe'intake of air, and a other connecting Figure 2 is a sectional view takenon the j l water entering the main chamber.

water controllingvalve is operated by, andin proper relation to the air control valve. There is also provided adjustable means connectedto the throttle control for operating the valves.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, 1 deslgnates the usual intake manifold, and a fragment of an intake pipe 2 isshown attached thereto. In this pipe 2 is the usual butterfly throttle valve 3, to the projecting end of the stem of which is rigidly attached a crank 4. The usual operating rod 5 has pivotal connection at one end "to the crank l, so that the throttle may be actuated through the manipulation'of the rod. The intake manifold l is provided with an lnlet aperture 6, as seen in Figure 2, adapted toali'ne with the longitudinal bore of the leg 7 of a T. The longitudinal bore of the'leg 7 ofthe T extends into a projection or nipple 7 formed on and preferably integral with at the end of the nipple. The leg 7 of the T 1s formed with the usual connecting flange 8, aperturedto receive the machine screws, or

vice is connected to the intake. I

The cross arm of the T is vertically dis; posed, and is formed with a longitudinal bore which communicates with the longitudinal boreof the 1e 7 From the lower end of the cross [arm-of t e T a pipe 10 extends laterally,

and establishes communication between the" bore of the cross arm of the T and a water reservoir 11; The reservoir 11 may be pro vided with a laterally extending filling chamber 12, the inlet opening of which is. normally closed by the screw plug 13. This chamber may be screened from the main chamber of the reservoir 11 to insure clear The lower end of the cross arm of the T the longitudinal boreof the leg 7 of the T,

elements9, by which the de-- the head-of the T and opens to the atmosphere" and defines with the countersunk portion of the bore of the cross arm of the T, an annular groove 14, the purpose of which will soon bedescribed." After the nozzle 14; has been threaded 'into'place, the lower end of the cross arm of the T is closed by a screw plug 15 or the like.

A cylindrical valve 16 normally closes the longitudinal bore of the leg 7 to prevent intake of air therethrough, and this valve is longitudinally bored or cored for a portion of its length, and the tubular end of seats in the annular groove 14'. The stem of the valve 16 extends, with a close slidin fit, through the apertured packing nut 1 and the extendin end thereof is formed with spaced annular i an es 18 between which the prongs 19 of the bi i urcated end of one arm of a bell crank lever engage. The bell crank lever is pivotally supported on a bracket 20, which is clamped in place on the upper end of the cross arm of the T by the before-mentioned packing nut17 Mounted within the bore of the valve 16, and slidable longitudinally thereof, is a needle valveQl having a short longitudinally disposed slot 22 formed therein, through which slot passes a pin 23, disposed diametrically of the stem of the valve 16 and having a free sliding fit in the slot 22. A compression spring. 24is located in the bore of the valve 16, and is confined between the upper end of theneedle valve 21-and the upper end of the bore, and serves to retain the needle valve in its lower or seated position, even after the valve ltl has started to open, and until the pin 23 engages the upper end of the slot 22 and causes the needle valve to travel with the valve 16. As will be understood, the slot 22 may be madeof a length to give the best results, the length depending on the size and character of engine on which the attachment is to be used. v 1

The other arm 25 of the bell crank lever through which the valve 16 is operated, is

provided with a series of apertures a, b, c, d,

and a, spaced longitudinally,thereof and adapted to selectively receive the angled end of a connecting rod .26, the other end of which rod has pivotal connection with an apertured ear 27', extending radially-from a sleeve 28 which encircles and is slid-able longitudinally ot the operating rod '5. A stop collar 29 is slidab'le on the rod 5 and maybe clamped in selected positions thereon by means of a set screw 30 "or the like. The position of this stop collar is changed to acconr modate the collar to the position of the sleeve when the end of the connecting rod 26 is changed to another hole in arm 25. p

With the device as herein shown, the connecting rod is connected in hole a whena one and three fourths inch throttleis used; and, when a ninety degree throttle with a one and one half inch radius is used, connection to hole 1) causes the valve 16 to move in unison with the throttle, connection at aperture 0' causes the valve to begin to move when the throttle has opened to fifteen degreesgcom nection at hole (Z causes the valve 16 to begin the valve 1 water or other desired liquid. The connecting rod 26 is adjusted topermit entrance of 2'5 water with a greater or less throttle opening, as desired, and the device is ready for operatic-n.

VJhen the en ine is running with the throttle closed, t at is, idling, no water is admitted to mix with the charge, and admission of air through the nipple 7 and leg 7 is prevented by the valve 16, which is seated. This will prevent disturbing the partial vacuum formed in the intake manifold by the suction of the engine, and will insure proper suction to deliver the charge to the engine.

lVhen the throttle is opened the valve 16 will begin to open and, when suiiiciently unseated, will permit air to be drawn through the nipple 7' and leg 7 to the manifold 1. As the throttle is opened further the pin 23 will come into contact with the end of the slot 22 and the needle valve 21 will travel in unison with the valve 16 and permit water to be 95. sprayed from the end 01 the nozzle 14, under the action of the inrushing air.

What is claimed is: I

1. A device for attachment to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, including a member having an air inlet assage adapted to discharge into the mani old,

a nozzle opening into the passage, a water reservoir in communication with the nozzle, a tubular valve controlling the flow of air through the passage, a spring pressed valve in the tubular valve normally engaging the nozzle to shutofi' the supply of water from the nozzle to the air passage, means for shifting the tubular valve longitudinally to con- 11) tr-ol the flow of air through the passage, and means actuated by the tubular valve when moved past a predetermined point for opening the nozzle controlling valve therein.

2. A device for attachment to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine including a member having an air sage therethrough adapted to open into the manifold, a nozzle in said member adapted to open into thepassage, a liquid reservoir com- 180 municating with the nozzle, a tubular valve sl-idably mounted in said member and normally extending around the'end of the nozzle and across the air passage to cut ofi the supply of air through the passage, [1 springpressed valve seated within and slidable longitudinally of "the tubular valve, for normally engaging and-closing the nozzle, means for operating the throttle valve of the engine, and an adjustable connection between said 1&0

, position.

means and the tubular valve for shifting said valve longitudinally independently of the spring-pressed valve, means on the two valves cooperating to unseat the spring-pressed valve during the approach of the tubular valve to its full open position, said valves operating in predetermined relation to the throttle valve of the engine to admit air only when the throttle valve is partly open and thereafter to admit a mixture of air'and water when the throttle valve is in full open 3. The combination with the manifold of an internal combustion engine having a throttle valve and a rod for actuating the valve, of a member having an air passage therethrough opening into the intake manifold, a nozzle opening into said passage, a water reservoir in communication with the nozzle, a tubular valve normally surrounding the nozzle and closing the air passage, a springpressed valve within the tubular valve normally closing the nozzle, an adjustable connection between the rod and tubular valve for opening said valve during the opening of the throttle valve, and cooperating means on the tubular and spring-pressed valves for opening the spring-pressed valve during the continued opening of the tubular and throttle valve, thereby to admit water to the opened air passage.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

RALPH A. DUFF. 

